Program guide system with video-on-demand browsing

Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a viewer may direct a television to simultaneously display a selected television program and a program guide display. A viewer may use the program guide display to browse available video-on-demand (VOD) while continuing to view a previously selected program in the background. The viewer may browse through video-on-demand programs on the program guide display using a variety of keys on a remote control unit. The viewer may direct the program guide to order a given video-on-demand program, and set a desired broadcast time for that program.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing media guidance of video-on-demand media assets, comprising:
 receiving a first user command to invoke a media guidance application; 
 based on receiving the first user command, generating for display a media guidance display that comprises a video-on-demand media asset identifier; 
 generating for display an indicator that a video clip preview is available for a video-on-demand media asset that is associated with the video-on-demand media asset identifier, wherein the indicator is generated for display with the video-on-demand media asset identifier; 
 receiving a second user command to view the video clip preview for the video-on-demand media asset; 
 based on receiving the second user command, requesting the video clip preview from a server; 
 receiving the video clip preview from the server; 
 generating for display the received video clip preview from the server, without displaying during an entire duration of the video clip preview an offer to order the video-on-demand media asset; and 
 generating for display an ordering option after an entirety of the video clip preview of the video-on-demand media asset is displayed. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 generating for display, the ordering option after the video clip preview of the video-on-demand media asset is displayed, without requiring any additional user command. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the media guidance display further comprising a category of media assets, further comprising:
 receiving a third user command to navigate to a different category of media assets; 
 based on receiving the third user command, retrieving a media asset identifier that is associated with the different category of media assets; and 
 updating the media guidance display to replace the category of media assets with the different category of media assets, and to replace the video-on-demand media asset identifier with the retrieved media asset identifier that is associated with the different category of media assets. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a third user command to access additional media asset identifier information associated with the video-on-demand media asset identifier; and 
 based on receiving the third user command, generating for display the additional media asset identifier information associated with displayed the video-on-demand media asset identifier. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating for display a scheduled media asset; and 
 wherein the media guidance display is generated for display in an overlay. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the video-on-demand media asset identifier and the indicator are generated for display within a listing display element. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising,
 receiving, from a user input device, a start-time for the video-on-demand media asset while the ordering option is displayed; and 
 generating for display the video-on-demand media asset at the received start-time. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating for display the received video clip preview in a video window. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 generating for display the received video clip preview in the video window over a display of a media asset. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating for display the received video clip preview in a full screen display. 
 
     
     
       11. A system for providing media guidance of video-on-demand media assets, comprising:
 a user input device configured to receive commands from a first user; and 
 control circuitry configured to:
 receive, from the user input device, a first user command to invoke a media guidance application; 
 generate for display, based on receiving the first user command, a media guidance display that comprises a video-on-demand media asset identifier; 
 generate for display an indicator that a video clip preview is available for a video-on-demand media asset that is associated with the video-on-demand media asset identifier, wherein the indicator is generated for display with the video-on-demand media asset identifier; 
 receive from the user input device, a second user command to view the video clip preview for the video-on-demand media asset; 
 request, based on receiving the second user command, the video clip preview from a server; 
 receive the video clip preview from the server; 
 generate for display the received video clip preview from the server, without displaying during an entire duration of the video clip preview an offer to order the video-on-demand media asset; and 
 generate for display an ordering option after an entirety of the video clip preview of the video-on-demand media asset is displayed. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 generate for display, the ordering option after the video clip preview of the video-on-demand media asset is displayed, without requiring any additional user command. 
 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the media guidance display further comprising a category of media assets, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 receive a third user command to navigate to a different category of media assets; 
 retrieve, based on receiving the third user command, a media asset identifier that is associated with the different category of media assets; and 
 update the media guidance display to replace the category of media assets with the different category of media assets, and to replace the video-on-demand media asset identifier with the retrieved media asset identifier that is associated with the different category of media assets. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 receive a third user command to access additional media asset identifier information associated with the video-on-demand media asset identifier; and 
 generate for display, based on receiving the third user command, the additional media asset identifier information associated with displayed the video-on-demand media asset identifier. 
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 generate for display a scheduled media asset; and 
 wherein the media guidance display is generated for display in an overlay. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the video-on-demand media asset identifier and the indicator are generated for display within a listing display element. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 receive, from the user input device, a start-time for the video-on-demand media asset while the ordering option is displayed; and 
 generate for display the video-on-demand media asset at the received start-time. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 generate for display the received video clip preview in a video window. 
 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 generate for display the received video clip preview in the video window over a display of a media asset. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 generate for display the received video clip preview in a full screen display.